Responsibilities & Consequences
by Ierpier
Summary: Robin is suave, handsome and nothing if not a ladies man. Regina regularly watches her neighbor's conquests taking the walk of shame from his house. Thanks to Henry witnessing some of them, Regina has a rather strained Relationship with Robin. When one day Robin shows up at her porch holding a baby, pleading for her to help him, neither of their lives will ever be the same.
1. Chapter 1

**this one is based on a prompt by nephilite on tumblr. Thank you, I hope you like it!**

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It wasn't voyeurism if the man forced her to spy upon him out of precaution. Every morning Regina was forced to wake up before her son to make sure Henry wouldn't open the curtains and be confronted with the image of yet another ruffled lady prancing from her neighbor's driveway. Even her keeping watch of the man's many escapades hadn't stopped her son from seeing one of her neighbor's conquests taking the walk of shame. It had led to questions, questions that her ten year old son was still a little too young to know the answer too.

Regina sighed and opened the curtains to let some light into the house. It was a Saturday, but the bleary red text on her alarm clock read _07:33_. Getting up early had become a habit for her. As a social worker she encouraged the youngsters she helped too drop by whenever they felt troubled or in need of company, which sometimes happened to be early in the morning or late at night. It was thus that it did not bother her that much to wake at weekends to check if there would be anything inappropriate going on, on her neighbor's driveway. She could, however, not help a stirring annoyance every time she saw the man take yet another beautiful girl into his home. He was handsome man and a suave talker, she had spoken to him on occasion, but it irked her to see so many different women actually fall for his infuriating British accent and crooked, dimpled smile. She huffed and turned to her kitchen to brew Henry some hot chocolate, wondering why she even cared so much about her neighbor's escapades.

She spent a quiet morning with Henry drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream tipped with cinnamon and talking about little things. Henry's plans for the weekend, Regina's work and the big question whether or not Henry would get a puppy. (no). As she watched her little man talk about Grace from across the street, she couldn't help a slight stirring of nostalgia in her heart. Her son was still so young, yet growing old so fast. She wondered if he would take after his father when he got older. Daniel had been kind and calm, really only ferocious in his love. She herself had been volatile, troublesome even, only finding her calm after she'd been trusted with taking care of her son. She sometimes wondered what would have become of her if she hadn't had Henry to tether her to her sanity after she'd lost Daniel. It was something she did not prefer to think about.  
"Mom!' Henry's voice pulled her from her thoughts and Regina quickly flashed him an absent smile. Henry narrowed his eyes, almost as if he were scolding her for a second, but finally but down his mug with and pushed his chair back. "Is that okay? I asked if I could go see Grace."  
She could hardly deny her son anything when he was looking at her in that way. With a smile she nodded, to which her son replied by putting on his shoes and running out of the house with a grin. "Thanks mom! I love you."

She sat in contented silence for a while. Savoring the taste of chocolate on her lips and the warmth against her hands. After she'd finished the chocolate and washed the two cups, she watched the empty house with a slight sigh. Sometimes she thought it selfish that she wished Henry still spend all his time with her, but she couldn't help the thought at times like this. She shook her head, shook the thoughts away, and grabbed her laptop. Henry usually kept her from working during weekends, but since he was out for the day, Regina decided that it would be good to get some work done. She had just opened up a file on her laptop when she heard the shrill ringing of the doorbell. She slowly closed her laptop, wondering if any of her young subjects would actually visit her at such an early time.

She could never have predicted what she would face when she opened the door. Robin, her neighbor, looking more ruffled and bedraggled than she had ever seen him. Robin, the man who refused to grow up and seemingly didn't do much except take women home, was standing on her doorstep. Holding a baby in his arms, looking so distraught and disoriented that Regina couldn't do anything but open her door to let him in.

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"One of your people –social people I mean, paid me a visit this morning. And she gave me …" Robin fell silent, peering into his cup as he seemed to wish it contained something with a lot more alcohol than hot cocoa. His eyes flew up from the cup only a second to peer up to the child, now sleeping contently in one of Henry's old baby carriers. "Him …"  
Regina sighed and gave the man a small, sympathetic smile. She had her reservations about the man and could break into a speech about responsibilities and more importantly, taking them, but if her job had thought her anything it was to listen.  
"She said his mother died bringing him into the world. Poor thing." He shook his head. "Apparently she make the doctor promise her to bring him to me. She wanted me to raise him." He frowned and shook his head. "I can't even begin to imagine why, to be honest. I've never even been a babysitter, haven't got brothers or sisters and…" He sighed again, lifting up his gaze to her, nothing short of desperation shining in his eyes. "I know what you think of me… And probably rightfully so, but .. .. I've watched you with your son and… You were the first –the only, person I could think of."  
Regina bit her lip as she shifted her gaze between Robin and the still sleeping baby. "You didn't give him back, but you could have. You could have walked away, but you didn't. Why?'  
Robin gave a bitter chuckle and shook his head. "My father walked away from me. I may not be a man of many principles, but I will not walk away from my child. Not if I can give him a home however. I want to, it's just … I don't know how." He took a shaky breath and bit his lip. 'I know I have no right to ask this of you, but … Will you help me, Regina? I want him to be happy."  
Regina took another look at the baby, sleeping peacefully in the carrier on her couch. It wasn't this baby's fault that his mother died and that his father didn't know the first thing about responsibilities and taking care of something other than himself. She sighed and slowly nodded. "Okay. I will help you."  
"Thank you." Robin breathed. Regina thought it were the most honest words she had ever heard come from the man's mouth. She couldn't help but smile at them, wondering in the back of her mind what crazy situation she had gotten herself into.

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**any good?**


	2. Chapter 2

"Support his head." After Robin has slightly recuperated from the shock of having a newborn handled to him, the man was sitting on the couch holding the child that was suddenly his to take care of. Regina had taken a quick trip to Robin's house to retrieve the bag with supplies for the newborn that the social worker had luckily handled the baffled new father. She was waiting for the water she'd cooked for the milk to cool off while watching and instructing Robin about holding the newborn. Robin seemed to struggle slightly, but his body seemed to accept his new role as a father much faster than his mind had, already softly, instructively, rocking the child.

Regina prepared the baby's milk with the same ease she'd been able to with Henry. Even after many years, it was still a process that came as easy to her as smearing her bread in the morning or making hot cocoa for her and Henry. She quickly checked the temperature of the milk and, satisfied with the result, quietly moved to the couch. She almost automatically moved to sit across from him, her low coffee table between them, as she had sat across him before, but decided that sitting next to him would make it easier to assist. After all, she did not know how easy or difficult the baby would be with feeding. She quietly lowered herself next to Robin, now taking a good look at the child in his arms for the first time.

He was a tiny thing, though she remembered Henry being as small too. He slept contently in his soft, blue clothes and adorably fuzzy hat. Little hands were clenching now and then and even though the baby was still sleeping contently, she could see a little tongue peek out from between the tiny lips occasionally. She let out a soft breath that morphed into more of a soft chuckle as she saw something so innocent and adorable lying in the arms of het neighbor. She had seen many children who had once been as little and innocent as this child, yet had been ruined by their parents, their peers or just the world itself. She brought a soft hand up to carefully stroke the baby's soft, satiny skin and vowed that she would protect this baby the best she could.

When she tore her eyes away from the baby, Robin's face was close to hers. Too close, almost. She would have thought it was something he did to the girls leaving his house often at morning to lure them into his bed, if it hadn't been filled with amazement and wonder instead of charm and wit. It was a look she'd rarely seen on him and it threw her off. She shook her head and cleared her stomach, holding up the bottle.  
"Do you know when she was last fed?' Robin seemed to be shaken from some line of thought by her question and it took him a while to reply.  
"I think the lady said he'd last been fed just over an hour before she gave him to me." He looked down at the child in his arms, still bewildered but with a soft smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Regina couldn't help a smile of herself, because her neighbor was definitely falling in love with the newborn, fast.  
"He should be due for another feeding then." Regina gave a smile and moved her hand to the baby's stomach, softly ticking in an attempt to wake him up. Robin frowned slightly, but didn't ask and watched instead. It didn't take long for the baby to open his eyes and suddenly two brown orbs were sleepily staring up at them. She heard Robin take in a soft gasp that he quickly masked with a chuckle as he placed his hand on the baby's stomach, following Regina's lead. "Hey there little guy." He whispered, for the first time sounding awesome instead of frightened or confused at the sight of the baby.  
Regina smiled and handed Robin the bottle of milk she'd prepared for the baby. She chuckled softly when Robin looked hesitant about how to feed the baby and lifted his hand up, maneuvering the baby into the crook of his arm, leaving the other arm free to hold up the bottle.  
"I always considered myself quite good with my hands, but this is like being a contortionist while …" He grunted as he sat up straighter. "I don't know."  
Regina raised her eyebrow at his comment, but couldn't help a smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth. She didn't answer and simply instructed Robin on how to get the baby to drink contently from the bottle. Robin managed it with little fuss and Regina chuckled at this proud grin as soon as the baby was suckling happily on the bottle, leaving the two adults sitting next to each other in silence, looking at the little boy.

"He's beautiful, Robin." His name sounded strange coming from her lips, foreign. She had never even thought of the man by his name, much less called him by it. On the rare occasions that she had talked about him with her son or her friend she'd call him 'the neighbor' or names that were not worth repeating. Speaking his name felt odd, as if he'd become a person instead of an annoying factor next door.  
Robin grinned at her, briefly lifting his eyes up from the baby to look at her. "Takes after his father." His eyes were twinkling, creased at the edges as he smiled at her and suddenly Regina understood why Red had asked her permission to 'get on that ride' (Regina had not given it).  
She pursed her lips. "I certainly hope he will be wiser than his father."  
Robin chuckled. "Fair point, milady. I would be lucky to have him turn out like your boy."

Regina frowned and Robin flashed her a smile. "Just because you're not the type of woman that usually graces my presence, does not mean I am not interested in you."  
Regina raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms in front of her. He could not possibly be flirting with her while holding his child in his arms. His days old child conceived from what was undoubtedly a one-night affair. She huffed. "Excuse me?"  
Robin bit his lip and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Not like that. You're an impressive woman, Regina, you made a life for yourself and your boy. That's admirable, nothing more."  
"Oh…" Regina shook her head and smiled softly "Thank you… I suppose."  
"And you have a beautiful smile."  
Regina whipped up her head, but could tell by the twinkling in Robin's eyes that he was joking. Still, she couldn't help a smirk as she cocked her head.  
"Is it pathological, the flirting?"  
Robin laughed out loud, the baby making a disgruntled sound at the sudden shaking. Regina quickly steadied the bottle and cooed at the baby, who quickly resumed his suckling.

For a while the pair watched the baby, Regina periodically stole glances at the new father, seeing a calm fall over the man that seemed opposed to everything she'd seen there before. Suddenly she realized that one question had gone unanswered and she laughed internally, because of course she'd forgotten to ask.  
"What's his name?"  
Robin chuckled. "I suppose I haven't told you. His name is Roland, his mother asked him to be named that, after her father, I think, the social worker said."  
"Roland." Regina smiled, softly stroking the plucky brown hairs on the baby's head. "A good name. His mother had good taste, I'd wager." She looked up from the baby towards Robin, hesitating a second. "Do you remember her? His mother."  
Robin nodded, his gaze turning serious, for a second almost even dull. "I do." He turned his head away from her, staring past her as if he were looking at something far behind her. "Her name was Marian. She was a … war correspondent, I think. Seen more than a woman should see. I met her in a bar, she was trying to forget and I was looking for a night to remember. We could help each other." He sighed and Regina could hear the slight trembling in his breathing. "I never figured it'd end up like this. Poor girl." He shook his head and Regina quickly took the bottle from his hands, noticing Roland had let it drop from his little mouth.  
"I'm sorry."  
Robin sighed. "Yeah." He scraped his throat and lifted the baby up in his arms.  
"Okay, now you need to burp him."  
Robin frowned. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"  
"Hey- Language." Regina scolded him, but proceeded to explain how to burp the baby. Part of her hoped that the baby would spit up just a bit on him, just that she was helping her neighbor did not mean she didn't still wish to see him suffer a little bit, after all. After the ordeal was done –with no spitting involved this time- Robin turned to her.  
"You want to hold him?"

She had promised herself not to get too attached to the neighbor's adorable child. Telling herself that she was not his mother or his nanny, just simply a woman helping out her neighbor, who has _not_ her friend. Yet it was only seconds later that she was cradling the baby in her arm, staring into those deep brown eyes that were curiously staring up at her.  
"Hey Roland." She cooed, smiling at the baby. "I'm Regina, and I'm going to make sure your daddy here doesn't screw you up too much."

She heard Robin chuckle, but couldn't tear her eyes away from the baby in her arms, her heart already adopting the little boy into her life.


End file.
